Oxfordshire’s 5 Districts

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Walled Kitchen Gardens

The walled garden at Rousham

An important Lottery Funded Project

In April 2012 the OGT was awarded £50,000 by the Heritage Lottery Fund to research the walled kitchen gardens of Oxfordshire. We believe there are about 250 such gardens in the county.

Our project co-ordinator, Sarah Cotter Craig, has recruited an enthusiastic band of volunteers to undertake the research, survey work and recording of these walled gardens. The idea is to develop a better understanding and appreciation of these often-neglected gardens, and thus to ensure better informed conservation. The results are available here on the website.

The initial research involves looking at historical maps (mainly the first three editions of the Ordnance Survey c.1880 - 1920) and other readily available archives and data sources, including aerial photography. We follow up with a site visit, where time allows and where owners allow access. This confirms what elements of the original garden survive, and their condition. Some are still used as originally intended, others have been developed for housing and other purposes, some have simply been left alone, others demolished.
We plan to mount a touring exhibition in 2014 and to produce a booklet summarising our findings.

We are grateful for the generous financial support of the Heritage Lottery Fund and for the encouragement and advice of English Heritage and their consultants.